Has anyone had any success to tame Shortness of Breath? Thx

Hi...I've asthma no inhalers would work for me so when I was sent to The COVID clinic doctor in there put me on ENERZAIR breezhaler on it 4 years now only inhaler that would work got COVID in 2020 ...

I'm working on my fourth year now and no I haven't gotten over the shortness of breath - its only gotten worse with accelerated demise of fitness due to my age(Currently 77 yrs old) and of course Covid. Nothing seems to go away with Covid except my doctor's concern about it.

SOB is one of my LC symptoms this last 5+ years related to my dysautonomia, high BP at rest but ‘postural hypotension, not Pots’ on standing with high HR. My lungs have been tested and pronounced OK, even sleep apnoea too mild to treat, but with slightest movement can get breathless: standing at stove stirring a sauce within a minute has me bent double on chair breathing like done a 4 minute mile! Between years 1-3 I was put, and left on, 5 different simultaneous antihypertensives and it is these that I have been juggling ( removing or changing doses) to try to improve my symptoms. Only this morning my husband and I were discussing I was less breathless this last week as I had reduced one of the BP drugs ( doxazosin) by half, so naturally wondering if I might benefit from lowering it still, but then have to find something else to get BP/HR down! Anyway are you on any drug that might be contributing to breathlessness?

I'm very interested in this thread. I have been suffering Long Covid/SOB since July of 2024. Doctors prescribed various inhalers (Albuterol, Advair, Atrovent) and tried Budesonide through a nebulizer. No effect on SOB. SOB is ever present and I feel like I'm suffocating at times.

dhawker08. I have had 4 bouts of LC. Each lasting 3 months with the SOB and rapid heartbeat at night. I am now on the 4th bout and on the last two weeks. I am hoping it will stop at the 3 month place as before. But I know it may not happen. I think the SOB etc. may have something to do with high Histamine levels. One thing I wanted to mention is that I did read somewhere doctors gave a glutathione IV to a patient and the breathing problems stopped after two hours. I may consider it myself. As always please consult your physician before adding supplements/drugs to your daily intake in case of allergic reaction or it interacts poorly with the drugs you are already on.

I did start on some glutathione but had to back up to a tiny dose as it will do some detoxing. It is a powerful antioxidant. Please research before taking.

Thank you for the reply. I did try glutathione, but it did not help. I take extra allergy meds to address the histamine levels, but still no luck. I experienced super ventricular tachycardia about three weeks into my fourth covid infection. I had an ablation that solved that problem. Again, thank you for your input.

Ask for ENERZAIR breezhaler next time with GP... Try anything to breath normal again

I tried so many inhalers, and none seemed to work. The only thing that has helped me was moving to sea level. (I was living in Colorado.)

i've now entered year 6 of long covid (March 2020 onset) and SOB is one of my longest lasting, most terrifying symptoms. i have undergone an overwhelming # of tests - just completed my 3rd pulmonary function test since 2022. My latest is largely unchanged. Haven't discussed the results yet but some of my docs interpret it as saying i have COPD, others say asthma. the report itself is clear: as with the other two I've had done, bronchodilators don't help. Every radiological test i get (xray, CT, MRI) shows "hyperinflated lungs". I show scarring and loss of lung volume. My biggest issue however is not structural - it's my diaphragm (which is flattening) and dysautonomia-triggered episodic crises where i can't draw breathe and my accessory respiratory muscles in my upper chest, neck and back get overtaxed, causing cramping and severe pain as i struggle to breathe. I end up in the ER and they never find anything. Nada. Zip. On a regular basis, my rib cage and diaphragm get 'stuck'. I've made a lot of progress opening this up via physical therapy (find a good one who can assess for this and do osteopathic interventions as needed). I should mention, I had major abdominal surgery a year ago where my surgeon found "extensive inflammation/adhesions" throughout my upper abdomen when he opened me up - including a highly inflamed and enlarged Median Arcuate Ligament - this is the ligament that supports the diaphragm. He removed this and all the adhesions which has helped me to breathe easier. So I'm much better than I was several years ago, but it has not been an easy path to identify and resolve issues. I still have daily torso pain related to ??? Something's still drastically off, but its identity evades me and my providers. I feel for you, OP and all who are commenting. I don't have any cures I can share with you. But you have no idea how badly I wish I did. 🙁

Jamtn,
Can only confirm shortness of breath without any relief. Contracted LC five years ago at age 75. Heart and lungs tested five times without any findings. Aging close to 80 is now complicated by other severe medical conditions without resolution. Am constantly attempting to make the huge but necessary adjustment to this new and unfortunately difficult and very limiting life. Aiming to retain as many “normal” activities as possible, but commiserate with you and all other survivors. Whenever possible give yourself credit for everything you are able to do, give yourself the benefit of every doubt, do not expect functioning as when you felt well in the past and NEVER forget that MANY people understand what you are enduring. We ARE survivors, heroes in our own stories and very important to those we love. Above all, love yourself for being brave and doing all possible to move forward under extremely difficult circumstances. No one can cure us, so stand your ground as the wonderful person you are. You are NOT alone, so please feel hugged from near and far. We earned and deserve that!